KBI - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Group Chief Executive Officer
Alex Pawle is a graduate of Sciences-Po Paris and an experienced entrepreneur having started his first company at the age of 25 after a successful corporate career in M&A working for SG Hambros in the City.
In 2003 Alex founded Mot-Tech, a Paris-based business, and built it to a team of over 30 employees, based on the principle of continuous improvement. His vision and principles, also adopted by KBI, are based on systems, a business running like clockwork and unfailingly delivering excellence to customers. Alex sold his company to an MBO in 2019 and then joined Stephane Leduc to create the KBI Group and acquire manufacturing SMEs in the southeast of England. Alex is part of a strong team and provides valuable skills as a member of the KBI Group's board.
Job Titles:
- Group Operations Director
- Manufacturing Executive
Mark Popple is an experienced and seasoned manufacturing Executive with over 30 years knowledge and experience in production management and operations. His career has spanned a multitude of challenges and positions in this sector, and he is acknowledged as a "category expert" with invaluable experience and understanding on all levels having started as an apprentice on the factory floor.
Mark's skills are extensive, his disciplines include Continuous Improvement, Quality Management, Engineering Management, Production Engineering, Hazardous Areas, ATEX and IECEx, Customer Sales Account Management. He is a respected leader who can quickly establish rapport and credibility with individuals at all levels, while building strong relationships within an organization to support company goals. Mark is known as a meticulous individual with attention to every detail, who adopts a right first-time approach to any given task. Mark started out in his career as ‘Enclosures Apprentice' in 1992 after qualifying for an engineering apprenticeship in a German Corporate Organisation. He has held various supervisory and Production & Quality Engineering roles gaining valuable experience along the way helping him to achieve senior management positions and board status. Mark was part of IndEx Enclosures Limited since the original owners started the business in 2012 and joined the KBI Group on acquisition. Mark has played a key part in the success of IndEx since being acquired by the KBI Group and is now an active and valuable part of the board, responsible for KBI Group operations and all businesses in the group.
Job Titles:
- Executive
- Non - Executive Chairman
Philip Benham is an experienced C-suite Executive, entrepreneur, and founder of successful businesses. He is credited with innovating and transforming a key category in the healthcare market.
Philip has the expertise and considerable experience in identifying, acquiring, integrating and selling complementary businesses. He is a team player, motivated by entrepreneurial values and led by corporate principles having worked with FTSE 100 companies, leading retailers, and international brands worldwide. His professional background includes start-ups, finance, logistics, sales, marketing, manufacturing and planning/executing business strategies to achieve objectives and long-term goals. His leadership skills, drive and ability have delivered growth to businesses and generated impressive investor returns in a career spanning 35 years.
Stephane Leduc is an experienced entrepreneur with a long history of investments in small to medium-sized businesses and ventures.
Stephane's knowledge and experience, both corporate and entrepreneurial, in acquiring and running businesses are extensive making his contribution as a board member extremely valuable. In 2002, he founded a publishing group which grew to over £10m in sales and quickly became a leader in the publishing of works of nonfiction. After a successful exit in 2019, Stephane now focusses on investment in British business so shares his time between France and the UK. He is a key investor in the KBI Group which he and business partner Alex Pawle, founded to buy companies predominantly in the southeast of England. Stephane is key to the strategic development of the group and provides leadership and guidance to the main board.